For his second resort collection for Paco Rabanne, Julien Dossena kept building on the elaborate and youthful wardrobe he has been carving for the brand since 2013. Easy, fresh and directional, the collection fused some of the designer’s favorite elements — such as sport references and activewear details — in a lineup that mixed “rustic with technical, girly with industrial,” said Dossena, who cited a slightly Nineties grunge influence reminiscent of British magazines The Face and ID when he was a teenager.
Big volumes done in fluid cotton fabric were key, such as white or army-green baby-doll dresses and tunics given a slightly hard edge by geometric eyelet embroidery and industrial ring details. Dossena used a lot of Japanese cotton fabrics in different weights and textures; Japanese in spirit, too, were boxy coats with a martial arts feel. Also sporty were jersey ski pant-inspired leggings with a side band of ribbed knit — which Dossena also worked into fitted stretch-leather tops, skirts and dresses that hugged the body. The looks were accessorized with mannish flats, sporty sneaker boots or leather sock sandals and the new version of the Chain Mail 14#01 bag done in cotton canvas with fabric fringe.